Ecuador to allow entry of people who have received the full schedule of any COVID-19 vaccine

The Ministry of Tourism succeeded in securing the National Committee for Emergency Operations (COE) of Ecuador approve entry requirements for passengers arriving in the country and the Galapagos by air. The WCC resolved that visitors who can certify, through documents, who have been immune to COVID-19, no longer need to submit the PCR test which is now a condition of entry into Ecuador.

For passengers who have not yet been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the PCR requirement remains in effect. He must therefore present his negative PCR or antigen test carried out no more than three days in advance, as requested since October 2020.

Land borders they are still closed, according to the resolution of the National Council of Europe.

The tourism sector has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic

“The national COE has decided to standardize the conditions for entry into Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands (…) June is the month of economic recovery for the Galapagos», Said Tourism Minister Niels Olsen.

The tourism sector around the world has suffered losses that amount to billions of dollars. In Ecuador, the situation was no different. The sector has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic and restrictions aimed at containing infections.

According to data from the Ministry of Tourism, between March and December 2020, tourism sector revenues decreased by 60%, which is equivalent to 2,822,000.00 USD. These losses have led this sector to reduce the number of jobs. Information from the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute indicates that in 2020, 38,404 jobs were lost in the sector.

In the case of the Galapagos, 80% of its economic activity depends on tourism. The entry of tourists to the islands, according to information from the Ministry of Tourism, fell by 73% in 2020. Although after full containment, visits to the islands increased, but they still have not recovered the flow of visitors they had before. the pandemic.

As part of the economic and tourist reactivation of the Galapagos, the outgoing government has immunized the entire population of the archipelago against the virus.

The new Minister Olsen met Ivonne Baki, Ambassador of Ecuador to the United States, to promote the reactivation of tourism in that country. Olsen commented that Tourism reactivation is planned to begin with travelers from the United States, “Who is one of our major issuers.” In addition, the authorities have agreed to unite their efforts to promote the Galapagos, so that they are the gateway to the country for international tourists and an “anchor” to redistribute flows to other national destinations.

The World Tourism Organization predicted that in July 2021 international arrivals increase by 66% compared to 2021 figures, at the World level. Even if this increase occurs, specifies the organization, arrivals would be 55% lower than those recorded during the same period in 2019.

Part of tourism reactivation will depend on the success of the 9-100 vaccination plan promoted by the Lasso government, which seeks to vaccinate 9 million Ecuadorians in 100 days. This will allow Ecuador to be considered a safe destination in the face of the pandemic. This puts Ecuador “on the right line conveying positive and confident messages, which are in addition to the implementation of biosecurity protocols attract tourists for an orderly and safe reactivation “, as reported by the Ministry of Tourism.

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